Wednesday, August 4, 2010

My bike's frame is back

Got the frame back for my own bike from Habanero. They ground off the offending seatpost binder bits, and sent along a seatpost clamp. I built it up the other night. With the new wheels, it is fast & responsive. I'm still afraid the seatpost is going to wind up sinking into the seat tube again (although it didn't tonight in about 40 minutes of not-too-strenuous riding). I've scouted out the Problem Solvers Double Seatpost Klamp in case the current clamp doesn't work... but that's probably overkill.

Where the seat stuff was ground off, there is some roughness in the finish. That will need some attention with the right grades of steel wool. I may make a non-riding-time project out of cleaning that up; I'd like to get the whole bike back to that brushed finish.

It is very cool, though, to have a bike with no looseness or play in the steerer. I love the way this bike feels. I just wish I wasn't worried about the seat tube. (My trusty Sigma BC1600 bike computer died when I was putting the bike back together, and I replaced it with a basic-basic Sigma BC509; just speed, trip distance, ride time, odometer, and clock. I'm trying to tell myself that I really don't need to know my maximum speed on any ride, and I really didn't use the stopwatch or the total ride time... but I hate giving up features I had, even if I didn't use 'em.)

1 comment:

  1. Gee, dude, you're wanting speed, and here I am downgrading to a slower bike. I've had two rotator cuff surgeries in the last year, and I went through such hell--and still am having a hard time--with each of them that I thought it might be just as well if I didn't bike so damn fast (most of my biking being here in town), so I sold my Univega and climbed astride a girl's wide-tired Raleigh. At least it's comfortable, what with those big shocks.

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